The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1887-08-20

no longer with such wife. Do you
consent answer me?" / continu-
cd, shaking her by the arm.
Gas you please" she replied. mo
thing can be worse than this
"You consent at last then do you?
Well, this very day I will COM
mence arrangements"
when you please" she replied,
and she left the room.
stood aghast at what ] had done;
| had proposed a separation, and
she had consented. | had said that
on that very day Iwould commence
arrangements for the purpose, and |
could not break my word? ? Could
l go to her and beg her not TO leave
me, and that, when I, myself, had
proposed such step? My pride
again forbade me, and l obeyed its
dictates but there still remained
secret hope within me, that on cool
reflection she, herself, would refuse.
| determined to consult a lawyer in
whose secrecy / could confde, and
make such arrangements as were
absolutely necessary. did so, and
patiently awaited the result. Ny
wife did not appear again during
that day-the next morning. | found
a note on my plate at the breakfast
table: Emily was not there. l op-
ened it, and found that it contained
a proposal to the effect that she
should be permitted to join some
friends who were about to visit Eu-
rope, ostensibly on account of her
health that she should remain
about one year, and if at the expir-
alton of that time she still lived, that
a permanent separation might be
arranged but at present such a
thing should not be made public
The note was written in calm, clear
manner, yet l thought the desire to
avoid publicity in the affair betray-
ed some token Of relenting. l re-
piled to it at once, saying that ]
should make no objection to such
an arrangement, or any other that
might suit her convenience. With
the note | sent a large amount oi
money for her preparation.
The next day we received an invi'
tation to IL party, which, contrary tc
her late habits, Mrs. Mansfield ac
cepted. She sent it to me in a note
stating the fact, and saying that she
thought it would afford an excellent
opportunity to make known to soci
ETY. her intention of visiting Europe
| signiiied my assent. During the
time which intervened ] saw my
wife only at table, where she appear
ed as calm as ever, though, perhaps
a trifle paler than usual. Hour or
hour looked for her pride to fai
her. Deeply injured as she had
been, | could not bring myself to be
lievc, that loving me as she had
once loved me, and | fondly hoped
still did, she would really leave me
but after having once made public
her intention | feared lest she might
not shrink. Would she do so c
how anxiously Iawaited that event
full night, when, at last, it came, |
was dressed and in attendance at an
unusually early hour. As / paced
the floor anxiously, ! hoped
prayed that pride would conquer
that love would subdue pride; but
how could I-how dare | hope it
What indignities had she not borne
from me- Ought not to humble
myself and ask her to forgive me
Had she come in at that moment
l would of done so, but she camC
not. l wondered how she would
dress. Perhaps some carelessncss in
her apparel would hctray that hes
mind was too much pre-occupied tC
think of it. glanced at the clock
it was time that she should be there
Just then she entered, and rs pale
and calm as usual. ! looked at hei
dress it was of dark velvet trim
med with rich lace-she had worr
Just such a dress in happier days be
cause l admired it, and thought thai
it became her style of beauty. Blu
now what was her object? Did she
desire to please me still, or was i
habit? glanced at her arms-or
her neck;--she wore Il set of dia
monds which gave her shortly af
ter our marriage. She rarely wor,
them at first, because she though
them unsuitable ornaments for on,
so young but now, when she looked
so queenly and moved so gracefully
they gave to her grandeur whicl
startled me-
| could detect no carelessncss il
her drcss-no agitation in her man
,,or Han bn,J +ro,,b1nd ,,nt ,vbo,